Antonio - the last cowboy of Sierra Nevada
Antonio belongs to the Sierra Nevada of the Alpujarra. He didn’t learn the mountains from books or maps—he learned them by living in them. Since childhood, his life has been shaped by animals, seasons, and long days moving through rugged terrain. The Sierra is not just where he works; it is where he belongs.
Antonio’s way of life has been passed down through generations and is now sadly disappearing. His father, Eduardo, was from Canjáyar, and his mother, Carmen, was born in Laroles—one of the most beautiful villages of the eastern Alpujarra, known for its breathtaking views.
His father belonged to the sixth generation of a family of muleteers who transported oil, flour, fish, cereals, and many other goods across the Puerto de la Ragua to the Marquesado del Cenete. Their animals travelled fully laden in both directions, carrying products from one land to exchange for those of another. In those days, bartering was not only common—it was the backbone of mountain life.
Antonio is an animal guardian, breeder, and trainer with a whole lifetime of experiences. His approach is based on respect, patience, and understanding. Whether working with cows, horses, or mules, his ability to read animal behaviour is exceptional and increasingly rare.
This knowledge has been passed down through generations, refined through experience, and guided by a deep respect for nature’s balance. It is a way of working that is quietly disappearing, yet fully alive in Antonio’s daily life.
Antonio is the only one from five brothers who chose to live this lifestyle. He didn’t go to school very often, as he started working as a kid at 8 years, keeping 500 goats at an altitude of 2,500 meters above sea level. Now tall, long-haired, bearded and usually dressed in his leather jacket, he could easily be mistaken for a Texan from the American Wild West.
Now, he owns more than 30 horses and mules that he loves dearly. Some of them are living freely in the mountains. He also owns various dogs, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks, and more than a hundred cows in extensive farming of the famous and almost extinct Pajuna breed at the top of the Puerto de la Ragua.
Antonio often says that while he is the head, his horse and dogs are his legs. With simple verbal commands and subtle gestures, he directs them across vast distances, and together they move as one. His animals are trained to read the terrain, the cattle, and each other with remarkable precision, responding instantly to his voice.
Side by side, they roam the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, guiding wild, free-ranging cattle through open land where fences do not exist. In this partnership of voice, instinct, and movement, man, horse and dogs become a single working body, perfectly adapted to the rhythm of the mountains.
A Man Who Connects People and Places
Despite his rustic roots, Antonio has a remarkable ability to connect with people from all over the world. Riders, travelers, and adventurers quickly become friends—drawn in by his openness, humility, and genuine warmth. Language barriers fade in the presence of shared experience, good humor, and life lived close to the land.
Those who ride with Antonio quickly realise that he doesn’t guide the mountains—he reads them. He knows the land like the palm of his hand: its hidden paths, its changing weather, its water sources, and the quiet places where wildlife appears when you least expect it.
To ride or work alongside him is to experience the Sierra Nevada from the inside—not as a visitor, but as part of its living story.
This is Antonio, raised by the Sierra.
Living a life the modern world forgot.
Come and see my world!
Discover my animals in their natural habitat and experience the unique beauty of Andalusia.
